Well, Chapter One of "Nullum: Book One" has been mailed off to Willamette Writers, along with a lousy synopsis, for critique at the WW Conference in August. I really need to learn how to write better synopses. But it's done, so now I am recharging my creative juices by reading "City of Bones" by Cassandra Clare and "The Breaking of Northwall" by Paul O. Williams. I'm rereading the former because I've been itching to read the 3rd book in the Mortal Instruments trilogy, but I wanted to read the previous two books first, and I know once I start her books, I'll get sucked into them and not get any writing done. (It has happened before.) And I'm reading the first of the Pelbar series because Paul O. Williams was a talented haiku poet and wrote science fiction as well, and being an amateur haiku poet myself who is trying to write fantasy, I thought I should partake of his fiction.

Last Sunday, Russ and I went kayaking around Deception Pass with our kayaking class. I am happy to report that neither of us tipped over and fell out of our kayaks, though I had a close call while crossing a current and ended up bracing with my hands (should have used my paddle, but it worked). The kelp was quite lovely to watch, but not too closely, because bobbing kelp plus bobbing kayak equals bobbing sense of balance. Still, I had a lot more fun than I thought I would, and was less sore the next day than I'd anticipated being (except for a headache, which retreated after a couple Excedrin). Russ may be able to convince me to go kayaking with him again someday.

Let's see, haiku news. I got a senryu accepted for the January 2010 issue of Prune Juice, so that's exciting (though it seems sooooo far away!). I should hear back from The Heron's Nest about my recent submission in a few weeks. In the meantime, I need to send some more poems out...